Scholar-in-Residence

The Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence (S-I-R) Program assists U.S. higher education institutions in expanding programs of academic exchange, by supporting non-U.S. scholars through grants for teaching at institutions that might not have a strong international component and/or serve minority audiences. Both the U.S. institution and the scholar grantee benefit from this experience.

There are opportunities for other institutions to partner with preference organizations. Your institution is invited to learn how S-I-R can help advance its international presence, assist in faculty and curriculum development, and diversify the educational experiences of its students, scholars and surrounding community.

As an addition to this Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence (S-I-R) Program competition, we are seeking applications from U.S. colleges and universities interested in hosting S-I-Rs in the field of Cultural Heritage Protection and Preservation, with scholars/professionals specifically coming from Egypt. For additional information, please contact SIR@iie.org.

Additionally, there are opportunities for other institutions to partner with preference organizations. Contact us to learn how S-I-R can help your institution advance its international presence, assist in faculty and curriculum development, and diversify the educational experiences of its students, scholars and surrounding community.

Last year, 35 institutions took advantage of the opportunities provided by the Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence Program to internationalize programs, develop curricula and faculty, and diversify student and faculty experiences. Your institution is invited to learn how it can take advantage of S-I-R benefits in 2019-2020.

Application for Institutions

The Embark application system will allow you to enter, reenter and revise all sections of your application. Remember to periodically save any data you have entered.

Application Resources

Institutions Served By S-I-R

A Unique Collaboration Among Fulbright, Institutions and Surrounding Communities

The Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence (S-I-R) Program is unique among the initiatives under the Fulbright Scholar Program because it is specifically-designed to help institutions, especially those underrepresented in the internationalization of higher education.

Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, Asian-American and Native American/Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions, American Indian and Alaskan Native Serving Institutions, Predominantly Black Institutions, community colleges and small and liberal-arts institutions, are primarily served by the S-I-R Program. Any institution in which a racial or ethnic minority makes up 50 percent or more of enrollment may also participate in S-I-R funding.

A minority-serving institution with a fully-developed international program can also participate in the S-I-R program. But it must clearly demonstrate how the proposed Scholar will significantly enhance or expand an existing international program, serve students, help the campus and benefit the surrounding community. An institution that has participated in S-I-R may also submit a proposal; the proposal will only be considered after proposals from institutions that have not previously participated in the program.

The S-I-R Program also funds collaborations between U.S. institutions looking to host a scholar from outside the United States. Such joint ventures may include an underrepresented institution and a U.S. institution already engaged in some form of campus internationalization or a consortium of institutions looking to improve their global presence.

The benefits provided by S-I-R come by the way of a unique collaboration between four participants…

The S-I-R Program provides a stipend of up to $3145 a month, along with travel expenses and an allowance for up to two dependents.

The participating institution(s) are encouraged to provide a salary supplement and assistance with professional expenses; housing or other in-kind remuneration can substitute for the salary supplement. The institution is also expected to provide the Scholar-in-Residence with professional development opportunities such as attendance at conferences within the scholar’s discipline.

The Scholar-in-Residence works across departments and curricula. This ranges from teaching undergraduate courses to advising on curriculum and faculty development. The institution gains from the expertise provided and the Scholar attains experience in U.S. higher education.

The community, through the institution, provides the Visiting Scholar opportunities to participate in speaking engagement, community meetings and other grassroots activities. Through this, the institution can diversify the experiences of – and build goodwill among – the community. The S-I-R Program promotes racial, cultural and intellectual diversity among the college and the wider community.

Opportunities for Institutional Development

Unlike any other program within Fulbright, S-I-R primarily focuses on the needs of institutions. It funds the lecturing work of Visiting Scholars in programs developed by such Historically Black Colleges as Miles College and Hispanic-serving institutions such as Texas A&M University-Kingsville. S-I-R also helps fund Visiting Scholars for lecturing at tribal colleges, community colleges, Asian-American and Native American/Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions - AANAPISI, American Indian and Alaskan Native Serving Institutions – AIANSIs, Tribal Colleges and Universities – TCUs, Predominantly Black Institutions – PBIs and small, liberal arts institutions. If your institution is not among these groups, it can still submit a proposal for funding.

The S-I-R Program can help your institution leverage its financial, campus and community assets in a collaborative manner. This helps your school achieve short- and long-term goals and gives the Visiting Scholar you host the opportunity to develop their lecturing and technical consulting skills. This approach also helps diversify the international experiences of your surrounding community.

Thank you for your interest in S-I-R and the enriching opportunities it can provide for your institution, faculty, students and community.

Building The Proposal

If you are interested in participating in S-I-R, there are some steps you will need to take in developing a proposal.

It starts with developing the proposed program your institution being submitted for S-I-R funding. The institution must determine whether it has a faculty member outside of the United States in mind for S-I-R funding or needs assistance in recruiting one for the program. This will factor into the S-I-R review process.

The proposed scholar should not have taught extensively in the United States within the past five years.

Involve the Visiting Scholar in campus and community activities. This may include participating in special lecturing series or even speaking engagements before local community groups and K-12 schools. There are no limits on the range of activities that can be listed in the proposal.

The institution must also determine if the potential Scholar-in-Residence has the academic standing needed to teach the courses being proposed. This is a significant factor in determining S-I-R funding. The proposed Visiting Scholar must also have the English-language proficiency needed to conduct teaching.

If the institution doesn’t have a faculty in mind, it can request help from CIES, who will work with Fulbright Commissions or U.S. Embassies abroad to recruit a potential Scholar-in-Residence. In order to facilitate the request, the proposal should list one or two countries in the same geographic region from where the institution wishes to have scholars, and provide a rationale for each country.

The institution must then determine how it will incorporate the Scholar-in-Residence into its teaching, curriculum development and campus activities. Your institution must…

Show how it will plan the activities of the scholar and oversee whether he or she successfully fulfills proposed activities.

Describe the courses and/or seminars that the Visiting Scholar will teach. List the course title, hours that classes meet per week and anticipated enrollment.

Incorporate the Visiting Scholar into faculty meetings and other activity. This ensures that the Scholar-in-Residence is facilitating faculty and institutional development, and allows for the development of their expertise.

Show how the contributions of the Scholar-in-Residence can be sustained for the long term. The institution should provide short-term (one-to-five year) and long-term plans for the proposed program and show how the scholar will contribute to sustaining it.

Provide professional development opportunities for the Visiting Scholar. This includes participation in national conferences of professional organizations within their particular discipline.

Involve the Visiting Scholar in campus and community activities. This may include participating in special lecturing series or even speaking engagements before local community groups. There are no limits on the range of activities that can be listed in the proposal.

Your institution should then assess whether it has the institutional and community resources needed to develop the proposal and successfully gain S-I-R funding. Because of the S-I-R Program’s unique cost-sharing model, your institution must pay for part of the cost of hosting the Visiting Scholar. Although a salary supplement is generally expected to be provided, the institution can substitute that with housing or other in-kind remuneration.

The institution should also work with community groups on developing activities for the proposed Visiting Scholar. This will help build goodwill with the community and help the Scholar-in-Residence gain the experience needed for his or her successful comparative lecturing and advising.

A helpful list of tips for developing a successful application is available, as is the Guidelines for the S-I-R proposal. You can also contact S-I-R Program for additional guidance on developing your proposal.

Note: Geographical listings in this publication are a matter of administrative convenience and are not intended to imply a United States government position on the legal status of the areas listed.

Recent S-I-R Awarded Institutions

A list of institutions who have participated in the S-I-R Program is available, along with case studies of successful participants among Historically Black Colleges, Hispanic-serving institutions, community colleges , other minority serving institutions and small, liberal arts institutions.

Review Program Materials

Beginning March 2018
The Fulbright S-I-R program is open to new applications for the 2019-2020 academic year. Review our Fulbright S-I-R Guidelines for a detailed outline of the sections of the application form and narrative proposal.

Participate in Webinars

April-September 2018
Webinars are a great tool to learn about the program, discover tips and tricks for submitting a strong proposal and to hear stories from past hosts. Please see the webinar schedule under Resources.

Share Draft Proposal

April-October 1, 2018
S-I-R program staff is happy to review draft proposals and answer any questions related to your proposal throughout the application season. Please send any draft proposals or questions to Kailey Smaczniak (sir@iie.org).

Submit Application

October 15, 2018
The Fulbright S-I-R institutional proposals are due through our Embark Application system

S-I-R Awarded Institutions

Institutional Quotes

“This program has resulted in an increased understanding of the importance of international education in our campus and the meaning/implication of campus internationalization. Faculty are inquiring about opportunities to expose their students to other cultures, and to teach abroad. They have approached the international office asking about specific programs and opportunities offered by Fulbright. Faculty and staff are learning about the benefits of international education and are also more supportive of our institutions’ internationalization efforts.

Yvonne Perez, Program Coordinator, International Development Department

Pima Community College-Annandale Campus with scholar Dr. Okobi Ekpo

“The SIR taught International Negotiations and Global Business Strategies. She managed to get a record number of students in that course because, according to students, “she made learning international stuff fun.”

Steven Edmond, Dean, School of Business and Technology

Huston Tillotson University with scholar Dr. Lan Luo of China

“Dr. Mamani truly excelled in this role. He developed meaningful dialogues with students, faculty and staff from across the university; they will remember him and his viewpoints for years to come.”

William Strosnider, Environmental Engineering Program

St. Francis University with scholar Dr. Ruben Mamani of Bolivia

“Many of EMU’s students report having rarely met, and never had a serious interaction with a Muslim before, so this served as a yearlong cross-cultural and cross-faith conversation between Shafa and her students, and Shafa and faculty on campus... This is very valuable in changing unhelpful stereotypes and narratives of Muslims.”

Eastern Mennonite University with scholar Shafa Almirzanah of Indonesia

Dr. Kaur has had a powerful and sustainable impact at MDC. For one, our curriculum was globalized and continues to be because of her efforts. While here, she provided a unique comparative analysis between Indian and American law, culture and experiences.

“Dr. Johnson’s curricular analysis completed during her Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence year lays a solid foundation for future discussion of educational collaborations.”

Dr. Donna Fry, Associate Dean and Professor of Physical Therapy

University of Michigan-Flint with scholar Dr. Olubusola Johnson of Nigeria

“…her presence on our campus was in important reminder of the globalization of our world, of not only what differentiates us, but importantly what we all share.”

Thomas Edwards, Provost

Thomas College Department of Arts and Sciences with scholar Dr. Deepika Papneja of India

“Sadiqi has given us her “insider’s” view of the religious, cultural and political complexities of the Middle Eastern and North Africa regions. This has generated an awareness of and desire on campus for greater understanding of the region.”

AANAPISI Stories

Brooklyn College hosted a CIES-recruited scholar from Chile during the 2016-17 academic year. Chilean scholar Nicholas Lira taught in the Modern Languages Department and in the Anthropology Department. His research on Patagonia was well received and he was able to engage with scholars inside and outside his field. Aside from teaching commitments, he provided campus lectures and collaborated with the Anthropology and Sociology departments and scholars across the College and at the CUNY Graduate Center.

California State University, Long Beach hosted Italian scholar Dr. Pasquale Palmieri during the 2014-2015 academic year. Dr. Palmieri lectured across four departments, teaching Government and Political Science in Western Europe in the Political Science department; The Building of the Italian Nation in the International Studies department; Early Modern Europe in the History department; and Dante in the Comparative World History department. In addition to his regular commitments, he gave an array of public lectures, guest-lectured in colleague’s classes, and invited international scholars to visit campus to speak. While at California State University, Long Beach, Dr. Palmieri was also able to visit and guest lecture at both the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of California, San Diego, and was an active participant in the Italian Cultural Institute of Los Angeles. Looking ahead, California State University, Long Beach plans to continue their collaboration with Dr. Palmieri engaging students and faculty alike.

University of Hawaii at Manoa hosted Russian scholar Elena Sedova. Ms. Sedova taught third and fourth year Russian Language and Literature courses and participated in the work of the Russian Club. During the 2016-17 academic year, she participated in cultural events, club meetings, recruitment days, and the 29th Annual International Festival at Kapi’olani Community College. Ms. Sedova represented the college at two conferences dedicated to education and teaching methods. Her conference presentations included “Analyzing Ivan Bunin’s stories The Gentleman from San Francisco and Light Breathing in a Literature Class”, and one organized by the) and “Techniques for Teaching Literature in a University Class: a Personal Experience Using the Works of Ivan Bunin”.

Community College Stories

Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College hosted Mexican scholar Dr. Adrian Israel Martinez Franco during the 2017-2018 academic year. The scholar developed and taught ABAC’s first courses about Population Health Informatics and Health Information Technology to the nursing program and rural health program. These courses are critical pieces of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College’s community health curriculum, according to Troy Spicer, the Dean of ABAC’s Nursing and Health Sciences. In addition to attending several meetings related to the University System of Georgia, Dr. Martinez Franco went to the American Medical Informatics Association Annual symposium in Washington DC.

Middlesex Community College hosted Moroccan scholar Mohamed El Khaili during the 2017-2018 academic year. Mohamed taught Computer Applications, held office hours to work with students and took part in college services such as division and department meetings and other activities. Mohamed was very involved in campus and college activities spending several hours a day on campus. Dr. El Khaili successfully bridged the process of teaching at MCC and the teaching process of his home institution in Morocco.

Pima Community College, hosted South African scholar Okobi Ekpo during the 2017-18 academic year. Dr Ekpo taught an Introductory Biology course, allowing PCC students from different health related majors to interact and learn from the scholar. This course assignment was consistent with his teaching experience and he led a course for students in their first year of college experience. Dr Ekpo participated in different College activities that increased mutual understanding between U.S. and other international countries. The activities included: Tea Time, Conversation with Honors students, International Education Week, Mexican Independence Day Opera Concert, Tucson Meet Yourself, and JADE Social Justice Retreat. The presence of Dr. Ekpo ignited the interest of faculty and staff to participate in teaching abroad and professional development. His residency resulted in an increased understanding of the importance of international education at PCC and the meaning/implication of campus internationalization. Faculty now inquire about opportunities to expose their students to other cultures and how to support PCC’s internationalization efforts.

HBCU Host Stories

Bluefield State University hosted Liberian scholar Jackson Tamba during the 2017-18 academic year to teach advanced electrical engineering courses at Bluefield State College (BSC). Jackson engaged in two major extracurricular activities to sustain the institutional partnership between Bluefield State College and William V S Tubman University, his home university in Liberia. These activities included launching the campus chapter of Engineers Without Borders and recruiting BSC’s electrical engineering technology students to participate in a two-week study abroad program in summer 2018 to gauge Liberia’s challenges in electricity generation, storage, and distribution and whether hydroelectricity will help to resolve them. Their findings will be shared with Liberia’s energy ministry and Appalachian Power in West Virginia, the entity which funded Jackson’s housing costs during his Fulbright residency and which will provide BSC students travel costs to Liberia this summer.

Huston-Tillotson (HT) University, hosted Chinese scholar Lan Luo during the 2016-17 academic year. Dr. Luo taught International Negotiations and Global Business Strategies at the School of Business and Technology. In addition to teaching commitments, Dr. Luo served as a member of the China Study Abroad Committee, International Festival Committee, and Asian Chamber of Commerce. “Dr. Lan Luo made an immediate impact on the institution.” Writes Dr. Edmond, Dean of the School of Business and Technology, “She was great in her role as management faculty and the students learned so much from her – not just academics but also about her culture.” Huston-Tillotson plans to collaborate further with this scholar to design and implement an articulation agreement with her school, Wuhan College in Wuhan, China, where students from her school would transfer to Huston-Tillotson University to complete their last two years of school.

Tuskegee University host hosted scholar Ann Gallagher from the United Kingdom during the 2017-18 academic year. Dr. Gallagher’s time at Tuskegee University enhanced the National Center for Bioethics in Research and Health Care faculty, staff and students in understanding how ethics is practiced in England and other European countries. “Her interaction with students was empowering,” notes Rueben Warren, Professor of Bioethics and Director of the National Center Bioethics in Research and Health Care. The National Center for Bioethics in Research and Health Care faculty plan to continue collaboration with Dr. Gallagher in scholarly activities to include co-authoring several articles, developing a student exchange program and sending National Center for Bioethics in Research and Health Care faculty to a conference at Surrey University in 2019.

MSI Stories

Kean University host hosted scholar Shuangyu Xie from China during the 2016-17 academic year. The scholar taught two courses, Introduction to Environmental Science and Environmental Economics from a Global Perspective. In addition to teaching duties, the scholar actively participated in organizing events with the university’s Asian studies. including, Friday afternoon tea with Asian studies students, Mid-autumn festival celebration, Chinese New Year celebration. Shaungye Xie contributed to the Kean University community through participation in events on campus and in her community to increase awareness of the Chinese culture among US students and citizens. She participated in all guest speaker series and inter-departmental events and presented research with Kean University colleagues at various conferences with colleagues in our program to present her research. The scholar also initialized the development of a student exchange program between Kean University and her home institution.

Miami Dade College host hosted Indian scholar Dr. Harpreet Kaur during the 2016-17 academic year. Dr. Kaur was a co-faculty member teaching paralegal and law courses within the college’s ABA-approved Paralegal Studies Department. As a result of her time at MDC, the college was able to provide a comparative analysis between Indian and American laws in the area of constitutional law, business law, corporate law, employment and human rights law. During her tenure, Dr Kaur also lectured about conducting business in India for the Business Department. She served as a Judge for a business plan competition for the Business Department and was a guest lecturer for the Honors College where she provided a riveting presentation on Women in India. Students gave her a standing ovation and sought Dr. Kaur as a guest lecturer for the student organizations, The Human Rights Club, Women’s club and Business Club. She also lectured for the Social Science Lecture Series at MDC.

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona hosted Dr. Fatima Sadiqi in 2013-14, from Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University in Morocco to teach Ethics and Women’s Studies and History in addition to working with faculty on curriculum development. Dr. Sadiqi’s presence helped Cal Poly Pomona students and faculty broaden their knowledge of North African and Arabic Studies. Dr. Patricia de Freitas, Professor Emerita said of the experience: “Dr. Sadiqi has given us her “insider’s” view of the religious, cultural and political complexities of the Middle Eastern and North Africa regions. This has generated an awareness of and desire on campus for greater understanding of the region.” Dr. Sadiqi was able to share her expertise in the surrounding community by building a greater understanding between Arab and North African world and the US.

SLA Stories

Geneva College hosted Nigerian scholar Dr. Cephas Tushima during the 2016-2017 academic year. Dr. Tushima developed a new 3-credit course for core studies department, Global Perspectives for Missions. This course will continue to be taught after Dr. Tushima returns home and thus will leave a lasting impact on the college. He was also involved in teaching Christian Thought and Worldview during the fall semester of his residency. Additionally, Dr. Tushima provided a series of guest lectures including, The Church in Nigeria, European Colonialism in Africa, Higher Education in Nigeria, and Traditional West African Religions. Additionally, he worked with a Geneva College professor to offer a course to a local community of Butler, PA on the topic of understanding Islam. The Biblical Studies, Ministry, and Philosophy department at Geneva College agreed to a partnership with the faculty of Dr. Tushima’s home institution. In addition, a Geneva professor is continuing to work with Dr. Tushima on creating capacity building non-formal training programs for community and development workers in Burundi.

Nazareth College hosted Priyanka Borpujari from India during the 2016-2017 academic year. While at Nazareth College, the scholar taught Media and Human Rights” a course that focused on international issues, primarily having to do with India. She guest-lectured in multiple courses dealing with international issues, much having to do with human rights. She also gave a well-attended all-campus lecture on Home and Homelessness, which compared the ways this category is fleshed out in the U.S. and in India. Her work with the school for refugee students has also helped establish an important relationship for Nazareth in the future. These activities contributed to an enhancement in international understanding for U.S. citizens – particularly for Nazareth students who are largely first-generation college participants and their exposure to international, non-European influence has been limited.

Regis College hosted Brazilian scholar Lania Stefanoni Ferreira during the 2016-2017 academic year. Dr. Ferreira taught courses in Sociology and Latin American History and contributed an international dimension by adding in the Brazilian perspective to the existing curriculum, and according to the college, vastly improving it. She helped Regis College fulfill goals of assessing and building academic course offerings in international /multicultural areas. Dr. Ferreira also participated in many international events on campus, especially in the Multi-Cultural Fair where her table was one of the most popular among students. She also participated in the weekly afternoon teas given for international students and by participating as a student in an English as a Second Language course at Regis, she met foreign students from a variety of countries. Her presence at these events and activities helped to increase student participation in international events on campus. Dr. Ferreira was invited to be a member of the subcommittee on Race, Ethnicity and Diaspora Studies. This subcommittee was tasked with proposing curriculum initiatives to enhance the major’s offerings in interdisciplinary courses that expand on issues related to topics such as the African diaspora, migration and immigration, displacement, among others. Dr. Ferreira provided the group with valuable ideas and resources that were integrated into the final curriculum plans. As a result of her stay, Regis students and faculty have an enhanced sensitivity to cultural differences.

St. Francis University hosted Dr. Ruben Mamani of Bolivia during the 2016-2017 academic year. Dr. Mamani taught a module on air pollution control in an international context in the university’s Environmental Engineering Laboratory Measurements class. He also taught an entire course on climate change as part of the University’s general education program. Elements of both efforts are being retained for subsequent delivery to students by St. Francis University faculty. Dr. Mamani gave St. Francis students exposure to the culture and history of Bolivia via multiple routes. Perhaps most impactful, he gave an in-depth presentation at “Bolivia Night”, a fundraising and awareness-raising event held on campus in November 2016.

My institution has limited resources. Will our proposal be accepted if we do not offer any salary supplement or in-kind support?
Financial contributions are evaluated on the basis of the institution’s capacity to contribute. Institutions are encouraged to think creatively about ways they can provide in-kind support. Some examples of in-kind support include housing, transportation, on campus meal tickets, apartment furnishing, professional allowances for scholars to attend conferences, etc. Please consult the S-I-R Program contact for more information.

My institution is not a Minority Serving Institution, Small Liberal Arts College or Community College. Are we eligible to apply for an S-I-R grant?
Yes, all accredited U.S. institutions of higher education are eligible to apply to the program. However, the primary objective of the Scholar-in-Residence Program is to bring visiting scholars and professionals to minority serving institutions and/or to campuses that do not have a particularly strong international presence. Institutions not in the priority categories can enhance their chances by applying in partnership with a priority institution.

My institution is a Minority Serving Institution that already has strong international ties. Are we eligible to apply for an S-I-R award?
Yes, the Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence competition does not exclude institutions with existing international programs or those that have other opportunities to host visiting scholars, but these types of institutions need to demonstrate clearly how the proposed S-I-R will significantly enhance or expand any existing international program, serve the students and the campus, and benefit surrounding communities.

My institution enrolls a large proportion of minority students. Will we be given priority status under the S-I-R program?
Yes. In addition to giving priority to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), American Indian and Alaska Native Serving Institution (AIANSIs) including Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), Asian American and Native American/Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), the S-I-R Program gives priority to other Minority Serving Institutions whose composite student enrollment is at least 50 percent racial and/or ethnic minority.

What U.S. institutions have participated in the Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence Program?
A list of recent participants is available here.

Our institution benefited so much from the S-I-R Program last year. May we apply to host again?
Immediate re-application to the program is discouraged.

My institution does not have much experience writing and submitting proposals. Should we even consider submitting a proposal for a Fulbright S-IR award?
During the spring and summer months, IIE/CIES will conduct a series of 16 Webinars to assist colleges and universities in preparing successful Scholar-in-Residence proposals. IIE/CIES staff is also available to provide guidance and feedback on draft proposals that are submitted to IIE/CIES up to two weeks before the application deadline. The S-I-R program welcomes first-time applicants and encourages all applicants to discuss their proposals with the IIE/CIES Program Officer (contact information included at the beginning of the guidelines).

Can an institution apply to host more than one scholar at a time?
Yes. However, only one proposal and one scholar will be funded.

Is preference given to proposals with named scholars?
No. The Application Guidelines For Institutions state that it is not necessary to name a scholar and notes that most U.S. Embassies and Fulbright Commissions abroad are quite willing to recruit candidates.

Our institution proposes to bring a scholar who is not in the humanities or social sciences. Is it appropriate for us to apply for an S-I-R award?
Reviewers assess whether the subject/discipline is approached as an international or public policy issue and whether the scholar’s activities have the potential to engage the entire campus. Institutions seeking purely scientific exchanges should not apply for the Scholar-in-Residence Program. All proposals must include a compelling argument for the impact of the S-I-R on the campus and community.

Our institution seeks to bring a scholar to teach foreign language. Is it appropriate for us to apply for an S-I-R award?
Proposals requesting foreign language teaching must also have the Scholar-in-Residence teach about their home country’s, customs, culture and society.

My institution would like to apply for an S-I-R award and name someone who was recently in the United States on a Fulbright Scholar award. Is this acceptable?
Preference is given to scholars who have not had opportunities to teach, study or conduct research in the United States for an extended period within the past five years. If you request a scholar with such recent experience in the United States, the proposal must give special justification (please check with IIE/CIES regarding questions about the eligibility of the scholar). The review committee may recommend the proposal on the condition that a different scholar be identified for the award.

My institution seeks to host someone who has limited English language skills. Is this acceptable?
No, the scholar must be able to lecture in English. The scholar’s proficiency in English should allow him or her to successfully perform their collegiate teaching duties and speak at community events.

Our institution is interested in hosting a professional from another country, is this appropriate?
Yes, provided the individual has the appropriate teaching experience. The S-I-R Guidelines encourage institutions to consider not only academics, but professionals in the media, government, the arts and from other fields. Professionals and artists have successfully participated in the S-I-R Program.

What are the criteria for selecting institutions for the S-I-R award?
There are two principal factors reviewers consider; (1) the benefits of the proposed program to the institution and (2) the quality of the program proposed, including: the academic and community outreach activities, plans for other campus activities, professional enrichment opportunities for the scholar and the sustainable impact of the S-I-R’s presence. Proposals that closely follow the Application Guidelines For Institutions tend to be the strongest and therefore more likely to be recommended for an S-I-R award.

What are the reviewers looking for in the section on “Community resources” under “Information about the institution?”
This section should indicate what educational, social and cultural organizations, activities and events in the community might be attractive to a Scholar-in-Residence. These should be resources where the scholar can learn from the community and where the community can learn from the scholar.

What are the reviewers looking for in the section on “professional enrichment?”
Opportunities institutions can provide for their S-I-R’s professional development such as attendance of professional conferences, introductions to colleagues in the same discipline at other institutions, collaborative research projects with faculty members, access to research or other academic facilities, etc.

What kind of outreach activities should we include in our proposal?
Provide letters from civic, religious, professional and cultural community organizations, schools and school districts and other groups and organizations expressing an interest in hosting the S-I-R for substantive public speaking 17 engagements and other outreach activities.

Which is the most important goal of the program: to serve the institution or to serve the scholar?
Service to the institution is the most important goal. Other Fulbright Programs support scholars who are selected to pursue their own research and lecturing interests.